5 giugno 2019

The Turkish Supreme Election Council (YSK) decided on June 3 to put on duty the district election council chairs and electoral directors who were previously investigated for having formed the balloting committees in March 31 local elections in Istanbul in an unlawful manner. 

Sources: Bianet  , Ahval News

The Istanbul elections had resulted in the victory of the opposition’s candidate Ekrem Imamoglu (CHP) who received his mandate for Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality mayorship until the Council ruled that the consultation was to be repeated on May 6.

YSK’s decision on Monday has stirred new debate because the allegedly unlawful composition of the balloting committees was the reason why the Council ruled the rerun of the Istanbul Metropolitan Mayoral elections on June 23.

Turkish Law requires polling committee chairs and officers to be civil servants, and an investigation after the 31 March elections in Istanbul found that 754 chairs were not. Now, the decision not to prosecute the district boards raises questions about the AKP's claim that the appointment of ineligible officials was a sign of organised electoral fraud.

The Justice and Development Party (AKP) appealed to the Supreme Election Council (YSK) on Monday and objected to its ruling. On the other hand, the opposition hit back that the same officials had been appointed in previous elections without protest.

The Council is likely to announce its decision on the appeal presented by the AKP after the festive holiday of Ramadan.